Nio Larksis
by McFuzzy20
Summary: When Po and the Furious Five are dispatched to a Kung Fu Academy to help defend it against dangerous criminals, they meet a talented young tiger warrior named Nio. But there's more to the prickly young warrior than meets the eye... T for violence.


_**(Note: I do not own Kung Fu Panda, it is © Dreamworks)**_

The bright sunlight illuminated the training grounds of the Ho-kun Ji Kung Fu Academy. All was silent in the early morning air. The mountains were still, the silence broken by the gentle trickle of water from the rivers into the mountain springs. It was early fall, and the air was starting to turn crisp and cool.

Nio sat calmly by one of these springs, reveling in the peace and tranquility of the moment. His legs crossed and his tail stretched out behind him, he was so still he looked like a statue. His robe was discarded, and one could see the grid of scars that crisscrossed his furred chest, back, and arms. His muscles were whipcord tight under the skin and black-and-white fur. His triangular ears were pricked, sensing all that was happening around him.

He slowly opened his eyes. Many thought he was a freak because of them. They were ice-blue, and usually as cold as the harshest blizzard and they seemed to be looking into your very soul. He rose to his paws and found his robe, tying it around his waist with a black sash.

He walked, barepawed, back to the Academy. Founded by a student of the legendary Master Oogway, the Ho-kun Ji Kung Fu Academy accepted students that lived further away from the Valley of Peace.

Nio trekked back slowly; he wasn't in any hurry. No one really cared about him there. His parents had left him on the temple steps when he was young, and he'd never been the most sociable person because of it.

Winding strips of white gauze around his paws, he mused over the events of the past few days. They weren't good ones. Word had reached the Sapphire Palace that two of the most dangerous prisoners in the Hung Forgan prison had escaped and were heading in that general direction. A message had been sent to the Jade Palace in the Valley of Peace, and now the Furious Five and the legendary Dragon Warrior were on their way.

Nio snorted. _They really think that they need help to handle it? It's only two guys; I could take them out in my sleep. _He cracked his knuckles as he walked into the training hall.

Several hours (and destroyed practice dummies) later, Nio emerged, sweaty but feeling very relaxed. Most of the other students were just getting up. They gave the tiger a wide berth, and inwardly, Nio rolled his eyes.

In the dining hall, it was announced that the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior would be arriving that day at midmorning. Everyone went into a chaotic frenzy, as most idolized the legendary warriors. Nio, from he seat way in the back corner, just snorted. He didn't want to deal with the clamor, especially not today. He grabbed his dumplings and left for his private recluse: the Academy rooftop.

* * *

Tigress glanced off into the distance. The Academy looked a lot like the Jade Palace back home. Yet, it was different somehow.

She glanced back at the others, then hiked her pack up on her shoulders and trekked onward. The rest of the Five were doing fine, and Po continued to surprise her. He'd trekked along as doggedly as the rest of them, never once complaining. _Master Shifu did well with him_, she thought.

"So, tell me again, _what exactly _are we doing here?" Crane asked, swooping in and flying slowly beside her.

Tigress shrugged. "I honestly don't know." They'd only received a simple message from Huo, the head Master at the Dojo.

_Danger. Help needed. Please send Five at once. Bring Dragon Warrior as well._

Needless to say, Shifu had sent them off with all speed saying he'd call them back if they were needed. So the Five, accompanied by Po, had left with all speed.

That was one week ago.

Now they stood at the edge of a forest and they could see the massive flight of stone steps that led up to the temple. She heard Po groan, "Great. Stairs..." The rest of the Five laughed, but Tigress just smiled slightly.

* * *

Nio saw the six figures. He picked out the Five from the story: the lean form of Tigress; the thin, wiry figure of Crane; the thin, rope-like body of Viper; the almost microscopic Mantis; and the only one with a staff strapped across his back, Monkey. Then he saw the fat panda.

His eyes narrowed and he smiled. "That's the Dragon Warrior? Looks more like a giant fuzzy bowling ball," he muttered to himself. He sighed. "Whatever..." He got to his paws and unstrapped the bo staff from across his back. He danced across the narrow beam of the rooftop, his paws never straying from it as the staff blurred into a barely visible extension of his arm. His forms were numerous, but he had all the time in the world.

* * *

"Hey, what's that up there?" Crane asked. They all looked up. Atop one of the Academy's buildings was a figure, obscured by the bright rising sun. It seemed to be dancing back and forth, but they soon realized that it was going through patterns of kung fu.

"A student?" Viper offered.

"Looks _way _to talented to be a student," Mantis said.

"Only one way to find out," Po said. He moved to the steps and began heading upwards. Crane flapped higher. "I'll go check it out," he said.

* * *

Nio was totally focused on his practice that he didn't hear Crane coming. He had just done one final spin when there was a thump behind him. He turned, surprised, to see a crane staring out at him with curiosity from beneath a wide-brimmed wicker hat. Regaining his composure, Nio bowed to the newcomer. "Master Crane, I presume?"

Crane looked at Nio. _He looks a lot like Tai Lung,_ he noted. But he kept his cool and said. "Yeah. And you are, Master?"

Nio looked up, a glint in his eyes. "Oh, I'm not a master. And my name is Nio."

Crane was surprised. "Not a master? Really? The way you handled that staff...I've only seen Monkey do things like that."

Nio shrugged. "I hear stuff like that a lot." He picked up his staff. "If you'll excuse me, Master Crane, I'd like to get back to work." Crane nodded and flew off. Nio watched him go, then got back to practicing.

* * *

"Guys, _guys_!"

Tigress looked up as Crane flew down and alighted on the steps. "You are never, I mean _never_ going to believe this, but that guy up there..." he gestured with a wing at the figure on the roof, "...is a _student_."

"_What!?_" they all said. Crane nodded.

"It's true. He's a tiger, he said his name is Nio. He doesn't look that old, but he handles that staff as good as you do, Monkey."

At that moment, a tune sounded from the rooftop. It was sweet, melodic, and soothing. "And he plays a flute as good as Master Shifu," Viper noted.

"We'll talk about him later," Tigress said. "Right now we need to find Master Huo and figure out what's going on."

They continued trekking up the steps, until they finally reached the top.

"Ah, the Furious Five! Welcome, welcome!" A tall, lean snow leopard greeted them. He was dressed in a black robe tied with a red cord at the middle. A tattoo of the rising sun was carved on the back of his paw. The Five bowed to him in respect and he returned the gesture. "I am Master Huo, head teacher here." He looked around expectantly. "Where is the Dragon Warrior?"

"I'm coming!" Po's voice sounded from below them as he heaved himself over the top of the stairs.

"He's has some issues with stairs..." Mantis said quietly. Monkey and Crane stifled laughs.

Huo looked skeptical for awhile, but then he nodded and led the group of six through the Academy's front gate into the main courtyard.

They were greeted by dozens of students, of all ages, species, and sizes, many shouting, "_Furious Five!_" or "_Dragon Warrior!_"

Huo looked apologetic. "You must forgive my students. They can be a little..._overzealous_..."

"We're used to it," Tigress replied.

Huo stepped forward and raised his arms. The crowd immediately fell silent. "Students of the Ho-kung Ji Academy!" he proclaimed. "I give you the greatest warriors of our time. Po, the Dragon Warrior, and Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Crane, and Mantis, the Furious Five!

Everyone went nuts. Tigress nodded to the Five and they leaped in the air, spinning, swooping and diving in midair to finally land on formation behind Po.

Huo glanced at them. "Do I have your permission to put a challenge out?" Tigress nodded. Huo raised his arms and the crowd quieted down again.

"Now, does anyone here think they can take on these legendary fighters? Step forth!"

Two brawny looking tigers and three snow leopards stepped forward. All had smug grins on their faces. Tigress rolled her eyes. "This shouldn't take more than five seconds..." Mantis muttered.

"Mantis! Who will you face?" Huo asked.

Mantis gestured to one of the snow leopards. They took their positions and faced each other.

He was right about one thing. Only ten seconds later he leaped off the now-unconscious feline.

One by one the Five and Po took their turns, laying all the cocky students out like ninepins. Until at last Tigress was left. Huo turned to her. "Would you like to choose a student to face, Master Tigress?"

"I would, actually," Tigress said. She strode to the middle of the courtyard and called out. "Nio!"

Many of the students gasped. Even some of the teachers looked surprised. Huo looked shocked. "Surely you must be joking!"

"I don't think she is," a calm voice said. Tigress' ear twitched as a faint rasp of claws on metal reached her, and a moment later there was a _thud_ as Nio landed in front of her, his flute in hand and staff across his back.

He got to his feet, eyes showing curiosity. "If I may ask, Master Tigress, why me?" he asked.

Tigress shifted her feet, and stared him in the eye. "I wanted to see what Crane was talking about." Behind her back, everyone looked at Crane, and he shuffled uneasily.

Nio rolled his neck, and several pops were heard. He gently set his flute on the ground and drew his staff in what seemed like one motion. He smacked it against the ground with a loud crack. "I won't be going easy on you," he said.

Tigress crouched and her eyes narrowed. "If you did, you would be out like a light."

Nio swept his staff behind his back. "This...is going to be fun."

With a yowl he leaped at her, swinging the staff in a blurred arc. Tigress caught the staff, but Nio had already let go of the weapon and was perched on his hands, lashing out at her legs with his. She yelled out and jumped back, flinging the staff at him. Nio deflected it off his palm and caught it.

Tigress landed on all fours, breathing hard. "Not bad...for a student...Crane...you weren't kidding."

Nio twirled his staff around by his side. "Time to get serious, Master?"

Tigress growled and sprang. Nio flung his staff aside and grabbed her paw as she came at him. Twisting, he heaved downward as to slam her into the ground, but Tigress twisted and landed, then heaved upwards, sending Nio skyward. She sprang after him, aiming kicks and punches at his face. Nio blocked most of them, but one kick got through and cracked him in the nose.

The next punch Tigress threw Nio caught, then he spun in midair and hurled her towards the ground. With a cry she plummeted earthwards, slamming into the ground hard. Nio landed near her, his nose starting to swell a bit and breathing heavily.

Tigress heaved herself to her paws and looked over to her opponent. Nio was on his feet, swaying slightly. "Playtime's over," he muttered. He spread his legs a bit beyond shoulder width and bent his arms at the elbows, extending two of his fingers. Tigress' eyes widened.

"Let's end this," Nio said, his eyes full of battle light.

Tigress got up and crouched. "I agree."

Her eyes grew as Nio seemingly disappeared. Then she heard a soft whistle and spun to her left. Her paw knocked Nio's punch aside and her right arm followed. Nio was punched hard in the face, but dropped down and lashed out at her feet. Tigress was knocked off balance, but threw out a hand to steady herself, did a back flip, then swung her clenched paw and it connected with Nio's punch.

Resounding pain shot up both of their arms. Nio winced, and that was all Tigress needed. Her foot came up and struck Nio's muzzle. When she felt that foot touch ground, her other one came up, kicked Nio once...twice...thrice, back and forth across his face, before she lowered it and brought her hands together, and struck him square in the middle.

Nio didn't fly backwards as her foes usually did, but instead fell to his knees, and then fell forward. He didn't get up.

Tigress was breathing heavily. She knew that her chest would be heavily bruised later, from the throbbing pain that came from it. She shook her head, and heard the thunderous applause that had been going on as the rush of battle left her ears.

"Students," Huo shouted. "This is what you will be if you train hard enough! Remember this day, for you may live to be as great as these warriors one day!" He moved over to the warriors and whispered. "I need to speak with you. Meet me in my quarters at moonset. I'll explain then." With a swish of his black robes, Huo left.

Tigress knelt down and prodded Nio in the shoulder. "You okay?"

Nio heaved himself to his knees. "I don't need your help, or your simpathy."

Tigress bristled. "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself." Nio got up, pushing her hand away gently, which was odd, considering his mood. "I always have..."

Nio walked over to his staff and hooked his toe under it, flicked it upwards, and walked away. The Five and Po stared after him.

"Okay...what's his problem?" Po asked.

"He's a bit prickly," Mantis muttered. "Like someone else we know..." Viper hissed softly at him.

Tigress stared after the white tiger. "If he doesn't want my help, then I don't have to offer it..." she murmured. She left them, going off on her own. The rest stared after her.

"Okay...?" Crane said.


End file.
